Choosing the right bottom paint

Sorry to be a pest . . .
but I am looking into which antifouling paint to use in the Spring and the more I read the less confident I feel. I have had the slime and layers of paint removed with an application of Captain Phab Xtra Fast Hull Cleaner (vile stuff) and power wash. It's down to a faint greenish hue with no loose paint.

The boat is in fresh water (to the extent that brown marina water can be considered "fresh") from May to October and hauled out for the winter. It is used in clear water mostly weekends only. Budget is an issue.

What do folks in similar circumstances find to be appropriate?

Regardless of what anti fouling product you end up using, know that not all paints are suitable for freshwater and most (if not all) hard paints can withstand prolonged periods exposed to air.

Do you need any anti-foul in fresh water? What are your neighbors using?

fstbttms said:

Regardless of what anti fouling product you end up using, know that not all paints are suitable for freshwater and most (if not all) hard paints can withstand prolonged periods exposed to air.

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What I actually meant to say here is that most (if not all) hard paints cannot withstand prolonged exposure to air.

Do you mean that the paint deteriorates, or that the anti-fouling capability is compromised. My understanding is the latter.

I use an ablative (Micron Extra) that is specified by the paint company to be compatible with the long winter layups. At the time I repainted the bottom (three seasons ago), I could not find a hard paint that would reactivate once dried out. I run our semi-displacement hull almost exclusively at slow speeds...typically 8.5 knots. This past Spring (after two seasons) I had to touch up the water line along the chine, the entire stern area (southern exposure in the slip), and very slightly at the pointy end. When I painted it three years ago, I used layer of hard red as a guide coat with two coats of black ablative.

I haven't seen much growth other than a small amount of green slime, and a very few zebra mussels on the shafts where there is no paint. I believe that's partly because of the antislime agents in the paint. The very minor growth that does occur is of course at the water line or in areas exposed to direct sunlight for long periods. So it looks like most of the bottom will be fine for several more years with touchups as stated earlier.

One huge caution about ablative is that it obviously can be blown off with injudicious use of a power washer, which is the norm at our yard. I therefore do that task myself upon haulout.

I suspect that ablative was overkill for northern Lake Michigan.

skidgear said:

Do you mean that the paint deteriorates, or that the anti-fouling capability is compromised. My understanding is the latter.

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You are correct. Most hard anti fouling paints lose their anti fouling properties if exposed to air for prolonged periods and are therefore typically unsuitable for drysailed boats or boats that are hauled for the winter (unless the owner is prepared to repaint each spring.)

Sunset,

Recognize that anti-fouling paints are not the comparable between the US and Canada. IIRC, anti-slime is not allowed in Canada.

Northern Spy said:

...... anti-slime is not allowed in Canada.

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That's strange...my brother in law has been there for 65 years!

fstbttms said:

You are correct. Most hard anti fouling paints lose their anti fouling properties if exposed to air for prolonged periods and are therefore typically unsuitable for drysailed boats or boats that are hauled for the winter (unless the owner is prepared to repaint each spring.)

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I am pulling out for a semi-extended period this winter. Petit Trinidad - How long do I have? Roughly?

Tom.B said:

I am pulling out for a semi-extended period this winter. Petit Trinidad - How long do I have? Roughly?

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72 hours, if memory serves.

REALLY?!?!? I thought it was several WEEKS. Ok then...Adding new coat of paint to the list of projects.

*The above dry times are minimums.
Trinidad Antifouling may be recoated
after the minimum time shown and
launched up to 60 days after painting


http://pettitpaint.com/fileshare/product_pds/Trinidad.pdf

buy like some interlux products...the time between launching and just having it out of t e water can e different.

60 days after painting to launch for some....but only after 3 days after being immersed some need to be repainted.

Ahhhh... Got it.

Tonks!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Northern Spy
...... anti-slime is not allowed in Canada.

__________________
Walt

SeaHorse II said:

That's strange...my brother in law has been there for 65 years!

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Walt: He said ANTI slime, not slime.

I just painted my bottom with Trinidad 75 (non-ablative hard paint) no more than 4 months ago, and I had planned on yanking the boat for a couple weeks to do some window and deck work. Yard said the same thing about negating the anti-fowling qualities of the paint. They think 72 hours is about the max before it begins to compromise the effectiveness. Change of plans.

Lots of you guys have boats on the hard for winter. Can`t be a new issue, there must be an answer.
One solution would be a single coat before launching after exceeding the safe period out of water. It doesn`t sound like yours is a major fouling area.

healhustler said:

Walt: He said ANTI slime, not slime.

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I know what he said...."anti slime is not allowed in Canada" and my brother in law has lived there for 65 years. That's all I'm going to say but I wanted you to know that I read it correctly!

SeaHorse II said:

I know what he said...."anti slime is not allowed in Canada" and my brother in law has lived there for 65 years. That's all I'm going to say but I wanted you to know that I read it correctly!

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Oh.....I get it now.

BruceK said:

Lots of you guys have boats on the hard for winter. Can`t be a new issue, there must be an answer.
One solution would be a single coat before launching after exceeding the safe period out of water. It doesn`t sound like yours is a major fouling area.

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As mentioned previously, many ablatives reactivate each season. I've also noted some owners of slow trawlers do the sailboat thing and apply an annual coat of VC-17. It's slick and thin, so the buildup is minimal. I prefer doing a bi-annual touchup of portions of the water line with a traditional ablative. In our area of the Great Lakes the go fast guys and most trawler owners use a hard bottom paint, which holds up fairly well to light acid wash (oxolic, I believe) and power washing. I have noted very minor fouling in Northwest Michigan waters, but some areas have a bigger problem.

Look for a paint that says "multi-season", those can be hauled and relaunched the next year with minimal degradation to their effectivness. All multi-season paints are albative but all albative paints are not multi-season. I have become a fan of Pettit Hydrocoat in the past 5-6 years. It's albative and multi-season, inexpensive, subject to $20/gal rebate, easy to apply, sticks like glue, cleans up with water. Pettit has good customer service, so see what they think is best for your area & use.

My local West Marine store has a house brand of ablative multi-season bottom paint in blue at about $125/gallon. I'll grab 2 gallons in the Spring when they go on sale and just go ahead and use it all up. I should get 2 coats plus. I've checked that it will be compatible with the previous paint, even though I've removed most of it.

I am thinking of using Coppercoat from Coppercoatusa in the spring. Any one here have experience with it.

READY2GO said:

I am thinking of using Coppercoat from Coppercoatusa in the spring. Any one here have experience with it.

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You will find those that say it works great and those that say it sucks. I am in the latter camp.

I found in West Marine , Z Spar as $ 133. Somebody knows about this paint?